Automatic ignition controller for internal combustion engines



Oct. 19, 1937.

T. w. BRYANT AUTOMATIC IGNlTION CONTROLLER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 19, 1935 gwwc vto'o Thom WB yan/Z',

Hum MM Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC IGNITION CONTROLLER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Thomas W. Bryant, South Gate, Calif.

Application December 19, 1935, Serial No. 55,282

2 Claims.

This invention relates to ignition timers for internal combustion engines and more particularly to automatic means for controlling the spark in the cylinders of the engine, and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is the cardinal object of the invention to provide a regulator which will be actuated solely through the speed of the internal combustion 10 motor, the spark occurrence in the cylinders being advanced or retarded entirely by the motor.

The present invention is an improvement over the United States patent to Guy B. Stone, Patent No. 1,338,336, particularly in that in my con- 15 struction I have avoided theneed for rotating the cam member independently of the rotation of the timer shaft to effect the point of break, this being taken care of by the use of a novel form of cam and rubbing block.

20 It is a still further object of the invention to provide a controller mechanism which may be readily installed in ignition systems of present day structures.

Additional objects, advantages and features of g5 invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of my controller with an updraft type of carburetor.

30 Figure 2 is a side elevation of a cam employed in conjunction with the controller.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of my assembly, illustrating the cam and breaker points.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the connection of the controller when used with a downdraft carburetor.

In carrying out my invention which in its present embodiment is constructed for use with the ignition system of the present day Ford V-8, I 40 make use of the distributor shell III, which includes the base plate II, the latter, as is customary, being centrally apertured as at I2 and receives therethrough a timer shaft I3 the lower end of which is provided with a key I4 for con- 45 nection with a cam or other shaft for effecting rotation of the timer shaft.

The base plate II includes a cylindrical upstanding wall I5 within which there is rotatably seated a cylinder I6. The cylinder I 6 is open 50 upon its upper end, its base being centrally apertured to admit the timer shaft I3 for rigid securement therein. A piston I1 is reciprocably mounted in the cylinder I6, and comprises a packing I8 contacting the walls of the cylinder 55 I6 for establishing a proper air-tight fit. The

packing I8 in the present instance, is shown as a circular fiat disk, the inner periphery of which is disposed in a suitable rabbet formed upon the underside of the piston II. A flat metallic rim I9 is positioned upon the disk I8 and rivets 20 passed through the ring, the packing disk and piston, secure the packing in the piston. The outer free portion of the disk is bent to lie in a plane parallel with the walls of the cylinder IB, and preferably I employ a split spring ring 2| 10 positioned so as to force the disk into snug engagement with the walls of the cylinder.

The piston IT has rigidly connected thereto a cam 22, so that the longitudinal movements imparted to the piston will likewise move the cam, as will be explained in greater detail inthe description of the operation of the device.

A helical spring 23, is provided, interposed between the under side of the piston I1 and the base of the cylinder I6. The spring 23 is of such 9 strength as to normally hold the piston and its associated cam in its uppermost position, yet compressible to permit downward movement of the cylinder, at times.

The cam 22 has a cylindrical bore 24, in which there is formed a keyway 25 extending longitudinally of the bore, into which a key 26 of the timer shaft I3 is disposed. Obviously, from the construction described, the cam 22 is rotatable with the shaft I3, but also has movements longitudinally of the shaft, the key and key-way serving as a guide, the upper limit of movement of the cam being made through contact with a ring 21 removably engaged in a groove formed in the shaft I3.

A removable cover plate 28 is provided for the open end of the upstanding wall I5 and also closes the cylinder I6, and includes a downward- 1y extended apertured and tapped ear 29 adapted to align with the circumferential slot 30 of the 10 shell ID. A threaded bolt 3I extends through the slot 30 and engages in the tapped car 29. By loosening the bolt 3I, the plate 28 may be given a rotation within a limited degree, thereby varying the setting of the breaker arm 32 with respect to the cam 22.

The timer shaft I3 is provided with a flattened portion 33 extending from a point above the ring 2! to the shoulder indicated at 34, and a rotor 35 is formed with a bore having a flattened portion corresponding to the portion 33, and when the rotor 34 is engaged with the flattened portions contacting, the rotor will be fixed securely to the shaft I3 for rotation therewith, and due to the length of the contacting faces of the shaft and rotor, looseness orrwobble of the rotor dur- V carburetor.

distributor cap (not shown) as is customary.

The 'casinglfl includes abushing 31 within ,which the upper-end of the timer shaft I3 is journalled, as at 38, and the casing Ili at a point axial of the shaft I3 is drilledand' tapped to receive a pipe fitting 39. A pipe at is carried by the fitting 39, the opposite end being connected with a nozzle 4|, secured in the tube 52 of the The nozzle 4| may be located at any point desired upon the tube 42 so long as it is positioned below the throttle valve 43. i The shaft l3 has an axial bore d4 extending throughout the length of the shaft, the upper end being open to the fitting 39, while at the lower end a port 45 is provided opening into the cylinder I5. Ob-

, troller. V V 1 The cam 22 is quite similar to the cam disclosed viously, then, suction creating in the bore 44 will cause downward movement of the *piston ll against the tension of the spring 23. r

The nozzle 4|, as is customary, comprises. a

hood-like member 56 projected into thepath of pressure in the tube 42, so that the pressure in the tube, which will be developed variously, accordingtothe speed of operation of the motor, will be impartedito the cylinder l6 of the conin my co-pending application, Serial #753,236, but in the present illustration eight lands ll are involved, separated by cam faces 48. The cam faces 48 arer defined by an inclined leading edge ,49, which will vary according to the particular construction of enginein order'to accomplish" the proper point of break of the breakerarm 32. The

' cylinder, a helical spring in the cylinder for holdrear edge 50 of the cam' faces extend at a slight angle to the leading edge, being inclined in the 32 at an angle approximately that of the leading edge of the cam faces, and as shown in the present instance, the cam will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction. The inclination of the wiper block as shown also insures a more even movement of the breaker arm.

In operation, the plate 28 will be adjusted and fixed circumferentially with respect to the cam, so that the point of break between the points 52 will occur to-produce a retarded spark, such as is required in starting a motor, the advance of the spark being automatically taken care of upon starting of the motor as will be understood from the following description.

With the motor operating at idling speed, the

' throttle valve 43 will be in its closed position atmospheric, and the cam 22 will be held in its uppermost position by the spring 23. This position of the cam will produce a retarded spark since the broadened portions of the cam faces d8 function to move the arm 32. With movement of the throttle valve 53 to speedup the motor, the pressure in the tube 42 of the car-' buretor is'increased correspondingly, and such pressure creates a vacuous condition at the hood 46, creating a'suction through the pipe 50, the

fitting 39 the bore 44, the port 45 and the cylinder [6, thus drawing the piston ll downwardly, against the tension of the spring 23. As the suction increases, due to increased speed of the motor, the downward movement of the piston and associated cam will be correspondingly increased 7 and'the reduced portions of the cam faces 48 thus function to move the breaker arm 32 such as will be required at high speeds of the motor. The degree of advance ofthe'cam is controlled solely by the vacuous condition at 45 and the tension of the spring 23, and these members will obviously be proportioned according to motor requirements.

While I have shown and described certain preferred forms of the device, I am aware that changes may be made, andiI therefore. consider as my own, all such modifications as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:- 7 I a x 1; In an ignition controller, a shell, a driven shaft revolublyimounted therein, said shafthaving an axial'bore and a lateral'port adjacent one end thereof, a cylinder connected to the shaft and surrounding the port, a pistonreciprocable in'the ing the piston intone of its extreme movements, a cam fixed to the piston, including inclined tapered cam faces, said cam having an axial bore and slot, a key on the driven shaft slidably engaged in'the slot, stop means on the shaft forengaging the cam to limit movement of the cam in one direction, ignition breaker means operatively associated with the cam, and suction means associated with the bore of the shaft for retracting the piston against the action of the spring.

2. In an ignition controller, a shell having bearings'at the ends, a driven shaft revolubly mounted therebetween, a conduit opening upon one of the bearings and having communication 7 cambeing connected with the shaft for rotary andlongitudinal movement thereon.

THOMAS BRYANT. 

